CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: FERNANDES REACTS AS MAN UNITED SUFFER 4-1 COMO DEFEAT

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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has admitted that his team lacked belief following their humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday, extending their winless run to seven matches.

United conceded in the second minute and struggled to recover, delivering another disappointing performance that deepened the club’s ongoing troubles.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Fernandes said the team made a poor start and failed to apply sufficient pressure or create effective movements with the ball.

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He said Como’s early goal had a significant psychological impact on the visitors, leaving them struggling to regain confidence and take control of the match.

Nico Paz opened the scoring for Como before Tasos Douvikas doubled the advantage. Paz then grabbed his second goal of the night, while Jacobo Ramon added a fourth for the Italian side.

Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation goal for Manchester United, preventing the English club from suffering their joint-heaviest defeat in the Champions League.

Fernandes said conceding early had left his teammates with a defeatist mentality, making it difficult for them to play confidently, retain possession and create scoring opportunities.

He warned that United would continue to struggle unless they found a way to overcome their current situation and show greater courage on the pitch.

The Portuguese midfielder also criticised the team’s passive approach without possession, arguing that Como were given too much time and space to dictate the game.

However, when asked whether his comments amounted to criticism of manager Michael Carrick’s tactics, Fernandes declined to blame the coach, saying it was the responsibility of the manager and his technical staff to assess the team’s approach.

He added that United needed to be more courageous when pressing opponents, take calculated risks and put opposing players under greater pressure.